After passing a resolution earlier in the year, the United Nations General Assembly recognizes the first International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25, 2000. The resolution, which was introduced by the Dominican Republic, marked the anniversary of the death of three sisters, Patria, Minerva and María Teresa Mirabal, who were murdered there in 1960. While women in Latin America and the Caribbean had honored the day since 1981, all UN countries did not formally recognize it until almost two decades later.

Many organizations, including the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), had been pushing for international recognition of the date for some time.

A year earlier, Noeleen Heyzer, the director of UNIFEM, gave a speech at a fundraising breakfast in Toronto, Canada, encouraging men and women to participate in 16 days of activism against gender violence. The voluntary effort was to begin on November 25 and last through December 10, the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was passed in 1948 as a response to the genocidal terror of the Nazi regime. This 16-day period had particular significance for Heyzer’s Canadian audience, for one of Canada’s most horrific tragedies occurred on December 6, 1989, when Marc Lepine went on a shooting spree at Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal. Lepine had entered the college with a shotgun and murdered 14 female engineering students before turning the gun on himself in what later became known as the “Montreal Massacre.” In his suicide note, Lepine declared his murdering spree to be an attack against feminism.

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** Japanese autoparts company Takata files bankruptcy in light of ‘largest and most complex safety recall’ in US history

By 

Ashlyn Messier, Fox Business

*** Cyprus Saturday 23 November

The transport ministry was set to begin an investigation on Friday into recall procedures for cars equipped with defective Takata airbags and a decision that effectively exempted used cars from recall requirements.

On Thursday, the House transport committee discussed a bill addressing future sales and imports. “It’s not a solution, but it’s a start,” MP Nikos Sykas told CyBC.

The issue of drivers unknowingly or knowingly using cars with defective airbags remains a significant problem. Sykas emphasised the need for a dedicated webpage allowing citizens to check if their vehicle is affected.

On Friday, Sykas was scheduled to meet with the department of road transport (TOM) to address 4,500 car owners who were notified about defective airbags but failed to respond to recall notices.

According to Sykas, the lack of follow-up with these owners over the years was a serious oversight by the department.

**

On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the color orange is used to represent a brighter future, free from violence against women and girls.

PHOTO: UN Women

The United Nations General Assembly passes a resolution designating November 25 the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The resolution, which was introduced by the Dominican Republic, marked the anniversary of the death of three sisters, Patria, …read more

Citation Information

Article Title

First International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

Author History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/international-day-to-eliminate-violence-against-women

Access Date

November 24, 2022

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

November 30, 2021

Original Published Date

November 13, 2009